Quality Hardware M1 Carbine

[Phosphorus32]

I found this ugly duckling (BEFORE) at an auction two months ago, and it just rolled in last week. They listed the serial number, so I determined that it was a QHMC (Quality Hardware) M1 Carbine and not one of the post war commercial knockoffs. As it happens, I had recently won an auction for a couple of M1 Carbine stocks at about $22 each, so I had most of the items I needed.

When it arrived I popped it into one of those GI replacement stocks (AFTER) and added a UQ (Quality Hardware subcontractor Union Hardware) NOS magazine. Now I've got the QHMC slot filled...only 6 to go   

The barrel is a Buffalo Arms, dated 8-1943, which was a known barrel supplier to QH, so the barrel and receiver are most likely original mates. The relatively early flat bolt is all Winchester (bolt lug, firing pin, extractor are all W marked) and the barrel band etc. are late war or post-war upgrades. In short, it's a mixmaster but it was a bargain.

[Greatguns]

Very nicely done. Is that a type II or III rear sight? Never saw them side-by-side enough to tell the difference.

That looks like a Choate after market folder so you ought to get a decent price for it if you sell the stock.

[Justin Hell]

Wow, wonderful turnaround.

It reminds me of my first SKS, in a CE folder, with the wood handguard intact.
In the SKS world, I was and continue to be fairly accepting to modded stuff...that gun, seemed OK with it.

This one, I don't know how they brought themselves to putting it in plastic. I don't feel the 'cool' factor coming into play until the after pic.
Must be American bias, right?

The rack numbers add pizazz too!  

[Bob_The_Student]

Very nice save! Definitely looks 10x better in the "rack stock"   

 The best part about the M1 is just taking the bolt apart and putting it back together, it's just so easy. Don't use the tool that's cheating!

[carls sks]

nice improvement, looking good.

[Larry D.]

Well done! 
Never understood why anyone would throw one of the little gems in a plastic stock when there's plenty of other black guns out there already.

The M1 Carbine is my favorite rifle. Love to shoot 'em. They make great beginner rifles to introduce newer shooters to center fire cartridges.

Round bolts are around if you want one, although the flat wouldn't bother me a bit. The War Baby, like it's big brother, went through untold numbers of refurbs and refits in their lives.

Looks lik you have a South Korean refurb bayonet for it. I had a bunch of those years ago that I got for cheap. Wish I'd kept one now.
I bought an Italian bayonet for my Winchester last year. Boy, they're pretty.

Thanks for rescuing it.

On Larry's wish list: A Rockola!


By the way folks - I have a spare bolt catch if anyone needs one.

[Phosphorus32]

Very nicely done. Is that a type II or III rear sight? Never saw them side-by-side enough to tell the difference.

That looks like a Choate after market folder so you ought to get a decent price for it if you sell the stock.

Thanks! It's a stamped adjustable rear sight, so I think that's what collector's refer to as "Type III", whereas the milled adjustable is "Type II" but I'm not sure.

It is a Choate stock in good shape and selling that stock is in the plan. I expect I'll get $50-75 for it quite easily. Currently with the stock and parts, I have about $750 into it, so I could end up at or below $700.

[Phosphorus32]

Wow, wonderful turnaround.

It reminds me of my first SKS, in a CE folder, with the wood handguard intact.
In the SKS world, I was and continue to be fairly accepting to modded stuff...that gun, seemed OK with it.

This one, I don't know how they brought themselves to putting it in plastic. I don't feel the 'cool' factor coming into play until the after pic.
Must be American bias, right?

The rack numbers add pizazz too!  

Thanks Justin! Obviously I'm at the purist end of the spectrum on everything, including the SKS, but I agree that putting a WWII rifle in a 1990's plastic-fantastic stock is a far greater affront to my purist ivory tower sensibilities than an SKS in a plastic stock

[Phosphorus32]

Very nice save! Definitely looks 10x better in the "rack stock"   

 The best part about the M1 is just taking the bolt apart and putting it back together, it's just so easy. Don't use the tool that's cheating!

Thanks Bob!

  yeah, I disassembled and--miraculously--reassembled a bolt without the tool once on my first M1 Carbine. Much sweating and distress was involved    I ordered the tool soon thereafter. It's great!

[Phosphorus32]

nice improvement, looking good.

Thanks Carl! 

[Phosphorus32]

Well done! 
Never understood why anyone would throw one of the little gems in a plastic stock when there's plenty of other black guns out there already.

The M1 Carbine is my favorite rifle. Love to shoot 'em. They make great beginner rifles to introduce newer shooters to center fire cartridges.

Round bolts are around if you want one, although the flat wouldn't bother me a bit. The War Baby, like it's big brother, went through untold numbers of refurbs and refits in their lives.

Looks lik you have a South Korean refurb bayonet for it. I had a bunch of those years ago that I got for cheap. Wish I'd kept one now.
I bought an Italian bayonet for my Winchester last year. Boy, they're pretty.

Thanks for rescuing it.

On Larry's wish list: A Rockola!


By the way folks - I have a spare bolt catch if anyone needs one.

Thanks Larry! I agree. I think this is my only one with a flat bolt so I was actually pleased to have it. It doesn't need to be my main shooter.

They are really nice shooters  My "recoil-sensitive" wife, my "I'll shoot anything" step-daughter, and others really like them.

A post-war updated Rock-Ola mixmaster was my first M1 Carbine, followed by an IBM, correct Winchester, and this QH.

[Larry D.]

Is that a spare oiler I see?

[Phosphorus32]

Is that a spare oiler I see?

It is. It must be somewhere, since it's shown in the old picture of my Rock-Ola. That's pretty funny, since I needed a spare oiler to install a sling on my QH, so I bought one off of eBay 

[Larry D.]

Is that a spare oiler I see?

It is. It must be somewhere, since it's shown in the old picture of my Rock-Ola. That's pretty funny, since I needed a spare oiler to install a sling on my QH, so I bought one off of eBay 

I want to pick up a couple, but I ain't paying what people are asking.

Actually, and small metal oiler similar to this would work, but I'm a cheap bastid......

Back to War Babies, last year, I had a line on (what the seller swore were) 4 USGI 30 round mags. Guy got a little offended that I'd dare question him since he got them from his Dad.
They were all well known fakes - not just aftermarket - but made to fool people.

[Phosphorus32]

Is that a spare oiler I see?

It is. It must be somewhere, since it's shown in the old picture of my Rock-Ola. That's pretty funny, since I needed a spare oiler to install a sling on my QH, so I bought one off of eBay 

I want to pick up a couple, but I ain't paying what people are asking.

Actually, and small metal oiler similar to this would work, but I'm a cheap bastid......

Back to War Babies, last year, I had a line on (what the seller swore were) 4 USGI 30 round mags. Guy got a little offended that I'd dare question him since he got them from his Dad.
They were all well known fakes - not just aftermarket - but made to fool people.

The USGI (Inland subcontractor) oiler was $6 (+ $5 shipping) so not too bad these days.

That's hilarious about the mags. Amazing what people will say or believe. "This K98k (RC with import mark) was brought back by my grandpa!"   

[Bacarnal]

Nice rifle, Jon.  The Quality Hardwares are one of my favorite M1 Carbines since most of the rifle was subcontracted around one locality.  I also like that it was one of the two that used a separate spring tube. 

[Phosphorus32]

Nice rifle, Jon.  The Quality Hardwares are one of my favorite M1 Carbines since most of the rifle was subcontracted around one locality.  I also like that it was one of the two that used a separate spring tube.

Thanks!

Yes the spring tube was a new feature to me.